Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Makkarios i60 Day Challenge a weight loss program?
It’s much more than simply a weight loss program. The Makkarios i60 Day Challenge utilizes the most verified clinical research involving millions of people in 195 countries over decades to help you transform your health into a lifestyle which will promote longevity and healthspan in addition to helping you lose weight. It is the exact program Dr. Duke Johnson used to lose over 44 lbs. over 6 months and he now has increased energy with significantly reduced joint and muscle pain. And this is from the doctor who had already written the book entitled The Optimal Health Revolution who now takes healthy eating to an entirely new level to help you bring your weight and health under control. We can’t promise you’ll have the same results but you may and possibly even better.
Does the i60 Challenge take a lot of time and money?
No. It was purposely designed with your busy lifestyles in mind. All 60 videos by Dr. Duke last only about 1 minute to teach you the solid science behind the program but made simple enough for anyone without a science background. For those of you who want to know more, a paragraph of information is included below each daily video. No exercise equipment to buy. Food is delicious and ignite, which is already included in the Challenge, has been shown in published human clinical trials and animal research to have seven health benefits including doubling fat loss effects of dieting and exercise in a published well-controlled human trial as well as doubling a hormone and enzyme associated with longevity (See all its benefits below). All aspects of the program work together for your health and longevity.
How do I get started?
Once you purchase the i60 Challenge, you will receive information on what foods to consume daily, which ones to consume weekly, which foods to avoid, a few sample recipes to begin (and more will be added for those who continue with us after 60 days) and how to incorporate additional exercise into your already busy life. We will also send out your first bottle of ignite and while you are waiting for it to arrive, you can be preparing what to eat and know what to discard and avoid.
What happens after 60 Days?
We have had so many people who can feel the change in their health including increased energy, strength, and outlook while simultaneously experiencing reduced discomfort and weight that they desire to graduate into our advanced longevity and lifestyle program. We want you to stay with us so we can walk through this journey together. After the i60 Day Challenge, Dr. Duke will provide weekly communications so you can keep up with the latest science breakthroughs as well getting his take on the latest health fads and trends. His goal is to protect you and to help you experience optimal health which is the best health you are capable of having. We will provide easy to fix healthy recipes which fit into the Makkarios 2 (M2) Diet and are planning more to support you.
Who are the founders of Makkarios?
Dr. Duke Johnson M.D. – Dr. Duke has a Medical Degree from UCLA School of Medicine and Master of Science in Kinesiology also from UCLA. He has published research, co-authored books and authored The Optimal Health Revolution which sold over 100K copies and is translated into 9 languages. Dr. Johnson was Medical Advisor/Director of the largest supplement manufacturer in the world for 14 years giving lectures to groups of thousands in 30 different countries around the world. As a result of teaching health in so many countries, he has a unique, in-depth and global understanding of wellness and has been featured on TV, magazines and newspapers internationally.
Jim Roufs M.S., R.D. - Mr. Roufs has headed up Product Development for some of the leading companies in the wellness industry including one of the top 15 fastest growth companies in the U.S. as well as heading up New Product Development for the world's largest dietary supplement brand. He has published in both lay and scientific journals as well as being a patent holder. Mr. Roufs’ focus is on bringing the most clinically-effective products to the marketplace for the sole purpose of making a difference in people’s lives.
Is there an underlying cause to essentially all chronic health problems?
Yes. This is the theme of Dr. Duke Johnson’s book entitled The Optimal Health Revolution. The underlying factor so carefully explained in the book, which has been translated into nine languages and sold over 100,000 copies, is chronic excessive inflammation. Inflammation is currently a popular topic among many people in wellness but unfortunately most then recommend food, supplements or lifestyles which are inflammatory pointing to their inadequate understanding of the topic. Dr. Duke Johnson has a unique global understanding of the topic which you can trust.
Why is there so much confusion when it comes to health and why are ‘experts’ teaching contradictory information? Who should I listen to?
There appear to be three reasons for the confusion. First, there are many professionals who may be very sincere and smart but haven’t been experienced enough to have a complete understanding of all the science available. For example, a particular topic may have 100 published scientific articles but the results are contradictory with 80 papers pointing in one direction and 20 in the opposite direction. If a scientist is knowledgeable, he chooses the direction of the 80 papers but you need to know they are there. If a scientist isn’t fully informed, he/she may choose among the 20 and even be passionate about it because they have “scientific proof”. Best to listen to someone who has been in this industry for a long time and knows all 100 articles. Secondly, some ‘experts’ choose the wrong definition of healthy. If they find a diet that can temporarily help people quickly lose weight or decrease glucose, they assume that’s healthy for everyone. That’s why a thorough understanding of longevity studies is most important because they show temporary benefits don’t necessarily translate into longevity or long-term health. Thirdly, unfortunately, there are professionals whose sole focus is money and they use their degrees and status for monetary gain. Sadly, there are many professionals who are like this and unless you really know the science, you can’t differentiate the greedy from the sincere. Additionally, the last people you want to listen to about your health are movie stars and celebrities. You have to find someone to listen to and hopefully, with our years of unique global experience, you will entrust us with leading you down the path to optimal health.
The media is filled with promotions for gluten free, keto, paleo and other diets. How and why is the i60 Challenge different?
With over 60 years of combined experience in preventive medicine, nutrition, supplementation and wellness, the founders of Makkarios have extensive unique, global experience and have seen countless fads come and go during this time period. If Makkarios doesn’t promote a popular diet that’s prominent in the media, it’s not that they are unaware but rather have scientific reasons for not promoting it. The Makkarios i60 Day Challenge was created combining at least 30 fields of science including the complex sciences of nutrition, nutrigenetics, epigenetics, immunology, microbiology, dietetics, botany, biochemistry, agriculture, genetics, endocrinology, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, metabolomics, toxicology, medicine, biology, molecular biology, physiology, biologic hormesis, gastroenterology, epidemiology, phytochemistry, agronomy, chemistry, cytology, chronobiology, pathology, bacteriology and more. Most every popular diet today has no longevity studies performed on humans over decades and utilize macronutrient (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) percentages as a key component of their program. The science behind how we should live is far more complex than macronutrient ratios so anyone who builds their program on ratios is unfortunately significantly lacking in the latest research.
How can I have questions answered?
Time limitations currently prohibit individual questions being answered at this time but we are training health consultants to meet this growing need. In the meantime, Dr. Duke and Jim Roufs will post answers to the most frequently asked questions on this page for those who request them through info@makkarios.com. Please check this page several days after posting your question because we most likely will respond directly to it or to a similar related question.
Do I have to follow the i60 Day Challenge perfectly to succeed?
No, any steps you take down the pathway we teach should result in some benefit and is a step in the right direction. It’s hard to initially make lifestyle changes and we get that. But, we are here to help you work through those struggles and once you make an increasing number of changes that we recommend centered around delicious food you can eat the rest of your life, most people love the program and never want to go back. The quicker you reach this point, the better for you. But, don’t worry, any step in the right direction is good and we want to help walk you through to optimal health.
I’ve failed at every diet or program I tried before. What makes the Makkarios i60 Day Challenge different?
As noted in the answer to question #8, the vast majority of popular diet programs are based on science that is antiquated or unfounded. The proof lies in the fact that despite seemingly countless diets that have been popular over the years with millions of adherents, the obesity rate in the U.S. has continued to climb uninterrupted. Though the promotors of these programs are often doctors or scientists who may even be well-intentioned, they rarely have the experience of the founders of Makkarios who have built this program with unparalleled science based upon studies involving millions of people over decades in 195 countries globally.
Dr. Duke, you said that your “healthy diet” was killing you. What do you mean by that?
Though I hadn’t changed my lifestyle much after writing The Optimal Health Revolution, I was slowly gaining weight and knew that there must be changes occurring with farming practices or food preparation/manufacturing which had snuck in to cause the weight gain and joint pain I began experiencing. Therefore, I wanted to find the cause of these health problems and did which became part of the i60 Challenge. To be thorough in my investigation, I experimented with some of the popular ‘healthy diets’. being touted today but they only made my symptoms worse. They made me feel light-headed with increased body pain and less energy. It seemed as if they were killing me which prompted me even more to find the answer which resulted in the i60 Day Challenge and Makkarios M2 Diet.
What does the word ‘Makkarios’ mean?
Makkarios is the Greek word for ‘blessed’. Who doesn’t want to be blessed and we want to bless the lives of everyone who comes in contact with our company at every level whether it be customers, suppliers, employees and the like while we carry out our vision statement.
What is the vision statement of Makkarios and why was it started?
Makkarios (which means ‘blessed’ in Greek) exists to set captives free – free from constraints, such as, health restraints, misinformation, natural disaster devastation, financial restraints and even from human trafficking which is tragically still going on today. We exist to bless others. We will use a substantial portion of our profits to personally distribute aid to those who need it most and also donate to like-minded charities.
Makkarios will accomplish its vision by providing longevity and optimal health lifestyle programs based upon our unique global experience and knowledge of the most verifiable published research including clinically effective, exclusive, cutting-edge natural products designed to promote optimal health.
What are the benefits of ignite and where else can I buy it?
Seven Benefits of ignite have been shown in clinical human and in animal research to do the following benefits:
Doubles the weight loss and fat loss effects over diet and exercise alone (with those ingesting ignite losing over 20 lbs. of weight and fat in just 60 days vs. 10 lbs. in the placebo group). This well-controlled clinical trial conducted at a major university in the US controlled both diet and exercise making the results even more impressive as those ingesting ignite lost an extra 1.3 lbs. of bodyfat and bodyweight per week compared to the placebo group that was on the same diet and exercise regimen.
Doubles the amount of a critical hormone called adiponectin that not only helps stimulate fat loss but keeps fat cells lean among the many other benefits of doubling adiponectin explained during the i60 Challenge.
Doubles the amount of healthy microbiota measured in the digestive tract
Provides twice the healthy inflammatory response of diet and exercise alone
Doubles what maybe THE key anti-aging enzyme called AMPK which we will talk about on Day # 42 of the course
Benefits glucose health
Reduces leaky gut 50%!!!
Makkarios has the worldwide exclusive rights to market ignite with its patented ingredients. You can’t buy it anywhere else.
What is ignite and are there any stimulants in it?
Ignite is a proprietary blend of patented polysaccharides and esterified fatty acids. Among its many benefits, it also works as a prebiotic enhancing the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. There are no stimulants in ignite and has been tested by a third party to verify this fact.
Are there side effects to ignite I should be looking for?
There were no significant side effects reported in the clinical trial. Since ignite transforms the gut microbiota to healthier levels, some people notice some bowel habit changes which is good overall. For individuals with sensitive intestines, you may want to start out with a lower dosage and transition more slowly.
I’ve heard the published clinical trial revealed that ignite is more effective in the second month for enhancing weight loss than in the first month which differs from almost every other program? Why does that happen?
Ignite clinical trials revealed greater fat loss (confirmed by DEXA scan) in the second month than in the first (6.2 lbs. 1st and 14.1lbs 2nd month) probably due to increased beneficial levels of Adiponectin and AMPK over time as well as changing the gut microflora (microbiota) to that of a leaner person which does take time.
Should I keep taking ignite after the 60 Day Challenge is finished?
Staying on Ignite will help maintain the beneficial levels of Adiponectin, AMPK, healthy gut flora, healthy inflammatory response and more. You will want to keep taking it to maintain your new level of optimal health and enhance longevity.
What is the cost of the Makkarios i60 Day Challenge with 60 teaching videos, food lists, recipes, exercise instruction and afterward as it continues weekly with podcasts/teaching, recipes, and other benefits after 60 days?
Just $59.95 per month. We also are in the planning stages of creating a referral program with financial incentives and benefits so stay tuned. We are purposely making this affordable for most everyone as part of our desire to bless many lives.
Is there a money back guarantee?
Yes. Our utmost desire is to provide outstanding service to every valued customer. Our return/refund policy reflects that commitment as outlined here to provide clarity and peace of mind.
For the i60 Challenge, we have a 60 Day money back guarantee. If at any time during the first 60 Days of the i60 Challenge you determine that this program is not for you, we will refund your money if you discontinue your subscription online prior to the 60th Day after initial purchase of the Challenge. No questions asked because we respect you and your decision. We ask that you simply mail (at your cost) any unused or partially used ignite bottles back to us at Makkarios, 1869 E. Seltice Way, #329,Post Falls, ID 83858 in order for you to receive your full refund.
Beyond the first 60 Days (as determined by the date of initial purchase of the i60 Challenge), if you decide to discontinue your monthly subscription to Makkarios i60 Challenge, please login to your subscription and cancel online. No questions asked. There will, however, be no refunds after the initial 60 days. We are so convinced though that this program, based upon the greatest body of published scientific literature involving 30 fields of science, will not only improve so many aspects of your health, but also become the trusted source of health information you’ve always desired to have in this confusing world of health conflicting recommendations, that the vast majority of you will never want to quit.
What ingredients are in Ignite?
Ingredients breakdown = proprietary, exclusive, polysacharides which have several safe effects including enhancing the level of a key fat metabolizing hormone as well as being prebiotics to selectively enhance healthy gut bacteria growth and function.